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Wxlliiiiw  Jf  otDler  ??op5on 

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^L\]c  ll»ooU  plates  of 

?GLIilliam  Jfolulrr  il^opson 

^\v  Cljiiilfs  Drxtfi  SUcii 

ILLIAM  Fowler  Hopson  of  New  Haven,  Con- 
necticut, who  is  not  by  the  count  of  years, 
and  still  less  by  his  own  feelings  and  in  the 
estimation  of  his  friends,  an  old  man,  may 
yet  fairly  be  called  an  old-time  engraver,  as 
he  was  among  the  first  to  take  up  the  book-plate  art  in 
the  early  years  of  its  recent  renaissance,  being  ready 
then  with  some  years  of  experience  as  a  proficient 
engraver  on  wood,  to  appreciate  what  his  art  could  do 
for  the  advancement  of  the  book-plate.  Some  engravers 
and  many  designers  of  book-plates,  whose  hurried  and 
numerous  efforts,  as  well  as  booklets  about  them  and 
their  works,  find  their  way  quickly  and  with  great 
frequency  to  the  auction  room,  remind  one  of  the 
novelists  whose  "best  sellers"  speedily  run  their  course 
of  popularity  with  a  certain  public,  and  then  are  found 
in  rows  on  the  stands  of  the  second-hand  book  men  as 
"remainders"  to  be  picked  up  at  fifteen  cents  apiece  by 
those  who  discern  any  inherent  value.  Mr.  Hopson 
has  not  worked  with  feverish  rapidity,  nor  with  an  eye 
on  the  public  recognition  of  his  work,  but  with  care  and 
devotion  has  given  his  attention  to  producing  designs 
which  carry  the  message  of  personality,  and  to  execution 
best  adapted  to  the  work  in  hand.  Engraving  on  wood, 
line  engraving  on  copper,  etching  and  aquatint  have 
been  used  readily  and  with  good  judgment,  in  securing 
the  desired  effect.  In  the  seventeen  years  Mr.  Hopson 
has  been  engraving  book-plates,  one  of  which  was 
spent  abroad  in  complete  rest  from  this  line  of  endeavor, 
he  has  made  one  hundred  book-plates.  It  is  safe  to 
say  that  the  owners  and  users  of  these  book-plates  by 
Mr.  Hopson,  are  as  satisfied  a  body  of  bookish  people, 
as  permanently  pleased  with  the  engraver's  interpreta- 

[>] 


tion  of  their  personal  wishes  and  ideas,  and  as  contin- 
uously delighted  with  their  plates  as  constantly  seen  in 
their  books,  as  any  one  hundred  book-plate  users  any- 
where :  and  this  is  the  best  test  of  work  well  done. 

His  work  stands  another  test,  secondary  but  not 
unimportant,  that  of  the  discerning  collector  who 
gathers  many  book-plates  and  finds  it  necessary  both 
for  convenience  and  in  changing  standards  of  what  is 
desirable,  to  weed  out  the  negligible  and  preserve  only 
the  truly  good.  In  these  moments  the  plates  of  Mr. 
Hopson  remain.  Many  plates  which  seemed  interesting 
when  acquired,  come  in  a  few  months  to  raise  the  query 
in  the  collectors'  mind,  "What  did  I  see  in  that  plate 
that  made  me  want  to  keep  it  ?"  The  book-plates  by 
Mr.  Hopson  give  more  instead  of  less  pleasure  as  the 
years  pass.  In  looking  over  the  collection  of  his  plates, 
one  realizes  soon  that  a  sense  of  monotony  rather  fre- 
quently felt  in  the  work  of  many  other  engravers,  does 
not  lay  its  depressing  hand  upon  his  enthusiasm  in 
going  completely  through  the  list  of  Mr.  Hopson's  work. 
On  the  surface  this  might  seem  to  be  due  to  the  pictorial 
character  of  the  larger  number  of  his  plates.  Who  does 
not  like  to  look  at  pictures?  Reflection  shows  that  while 
the  pictorial  fact,  giving  its  wealth  of  possibilities  of 
change  is  an  important  factor  in  the  sustained  interest 
of  his  work,  other  features  contribute  largely  to  it,  as  the 
absence  of  the  frivolous,  the  sense  of  enduring  quality 
each  one  possesses,  the  evidence  of  thought  and  earnest 
work,  whether  in  depicting  his  own  designs,  or  in  re- 
producing those  of  others,  brought  to  him  by  clients. 
Mr.  Hopson  has  worked  as  faithfully  to  give  full  value 
to  the  designs  of  others,  as  he  has  to  give  permanence 
to  his  own.  Again,  there  is  an  inward  sense  of  honor 
which  the  observer  appreciates  as  the  successful  pro- 
jection of  the  personality  of  the  engraver  into  his  work, 
so  that  each  plate  lives,  tells  its  story,  and  loses  nothing 
in  repeated  examination.  Mr.  Hopson  is  happy  too,  in 
creating  an  artistic  feeling,  in  giving  form  and  color  to 
his  work.  Color,  not  perhaps  considered  by  many  as 
possible  in  the  engraved  book-plate,  is  in  truth  a  very 
present  and  distinguishing  mark  of  his  work.  Harmony 
of  form  and  color  to  scheme  and  design  is  noticeable. 

[2] 


The  books  in  Mr.  Hopson's  plates  are  very  real, 
due  undoubtedly  to  his  fondness  for  books,  his  under- 
standing of  them.  His  interiors  are  not  photographically 
precise  and  hard,  though  often  profuse  in  detail  anil 
omitting  nothing  that  adds  to  the  sense  of  "livableness," 
to  the  feeling  that  the  owner  delights  in  these  actual 
surroundings,  that  his  hand  has  held  these  very  volumes, 
his  eye  looked  forth  from  this  window  upon  this  stretch 
of  lake  or  meadow.  The  genuine  spirit  of  the  historical 
is  present  in  his  plates  that  depict  scenes,  events  or 
objects  of  historical  importance,  and  in  portraiture 
Mr.  Hopson  excels  many  of  his  contemporaries,  pre- 
serving in  his  portrait  plates  not  only  forms  and  features 
well  remembered  but  expression  and  lifelikeness. 

Give  him  full  rein  to  design  a  book-plate,  and  it 
is  likely  Mr.  Hopson  will  do  one  of  two  things:  either 
he  will  give  you  a  bit  of  nature,  like  enough  in  the 
Bewick  completeness  and  charm,  or  he  will  show  the 
subtle  drollery  that  makes  him  companionable  and 
makes  some  of  his  plates  a  particular  joy.  A  fondness 
for  the  out  of  doors,  a  sense  of  the  humorous,  a  love 
of  books  and  the  fire-side,  an  absorption  in  his  work, 
tempered  with  sufficient  periods  of  play  and  rest,  a 
loyalty  to  friends  and  an  unfailing  sense  of  the  artistic, 
can  be  read  in  all  his  plates  by  those  who  look  with 
understanding  eye  and  mind. 

With  a  century  of  book-plates  completed,  together 
with  other  innumerable  engravings  on  wood  and  copper 
for  books  in  limited  editions  or  privately  published, 
designs  given  to  friends  to  commemorate  personal 
events,  and  the  intimate  unlisted  work  that  attaches  to 
the  live  engraver's  studio,  we  look  forward  with  ex- 
pectation of  further  delightful  work  from  the  graver 
and  the  etching  needle  of  Mr.  Hopson. 

Charles  Dexter  Allen. 


(S 


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Utst  of  i"Hr.  J^opson's  IL^ooU  plates 

1892 

1  W.  F.  Hopson,  New  Haven,  Conn. 

Pictorial.      Etched.      Never  used. 

1893 

2  Free  Public  Library  of  New  Haven. 

Architectural.     Seal.      Engraved  on  wood. 

3  George  Dudley  Seymour,  His  Book. 

Seal.      Engraved  on  wood. 

4  Ex  Libris,  W.  F.  Hopson,  New  Haven. 

Pictorial.      Etched. 

1894 
6      Ex  libris,  George  Dudley  Seymour. 
Pictorial.      Etched. 

6  Ex  libris  Imaginaire  et  Suppose  Adam  de  4981  B.C. 

Pictorial.     Soft  ground  etching. 

7  Ex  Libris  Society  .Monogram  of  the  Society). 

Intaglio  half-tone  plate.      Kever  used. 

1895 

8  Ex  libris.  May  Peabody,  Oakend. 

Literary.      Etched. 

9  Ex  libris,  E.  G.  Stoddard. 

Library  Interior.      Etched. 

10  Ex  libris,  Josephine  E.  S.  Porter. 

Pictorial.     Costume.      Etched. 

11  Ex  libris,  Margaret  Van  Zandt. 

Library  Interior.      Engraved  on  copper. 

12  Ex  libris,  Frederic  J.  Libbie,  Boston. 

Library  Interior.      Engraved  on  copper:  aquatint. 

13  Ex  libris,  Gustave  R.  Sattig. 

Literary      Photcv-engraved  on  zinc  from  pen  drawing. 

14  John  Howard   Payne. 

An  "exlibrit  imaginaire"  published  by  an  autograph  dealer 
of  New  York.      Etched:  aquatint. 

1896 

15  The  Blackstone  Public  Library.     Branford,  Conn. 

Pictorial.      Engraved  on  wood. 

16  Ex  libris,  Frederick  Graham  A  Annie  E.  Aylward. 

Book  Pile.     Based  on  design  by  W.  E.  Home      Engraved  on 
wood. 

17  Ex  libris,  Stewart  Means. 

Pictorial.      Etched:  aquatint. 

18  Ex  libris,  Maria  M.  Sterling. 

Book  Pile       Engraved  on  wood. 

(61 


19  W.  F.  Hopson. 

Pictorial.     Etched:  aquatint. 

1897 

20  Ex  libris,  Augustus  J.  Phillips. 

Library  Interior.     Etched:  aquatint. 

21  C.  S.  Mersick, 

Armorial.     Engraved  on  copper. 

22  Ex  libris,  Adrian  Hoffman  Joline. 

Allegorical.     Engraved  on  copper. 

23  Ex  libris,  John  S.  Wood. 

Book  Pile.     Engraved  on  wood. 

1898 

24  Ex  libris,  Frederick  Wells  Williams. 

Architectural.     Chinese.     Engraved  on  wood. 

25  Ex  libris,  Alexander  Wolfgang  Mack. 

Pictorial.     Etched:  aquatint. 

26  Rachel  Norton,  Her  Book. 

Pictorial.     Engraved  on  wood  from   drawing  by  Bertram 
Grosvenor  Goodhue. 

27  Ex  libris,  J.  J.  H. 

Pictorial.     Engraved  on  copper. 

1899 

28  Ex  libris,  Joseph  R.  Ensign. 

Interior.     Musical.     Etched:  aquatint. 

29  Ex  libris,  Joannis  M.  Berdan. 

Pictorial.     Etched,  from  design  bv  R.  M.  Crosby. 

1900 

30  Library  of    the    New    Haven    »...olony    Historical 

Society. 
Pictorial.     Engraved  on  wood. 

31  Charles  Dexter  Allen,  His  Book. 

Portrait.     Literary.     Engraved  on  wood. 

32  Ex  libris,  N.  J.  D. 

Pictorial.     Classic.     Engraved  on  copper. 

33  Ex  libris,  William  Lyon  Phelps. 

Library  Interior.     Etched:  aquatint. 

1901 

34  Charles  H.  Ferry. 

Pictorial.     Etched:  aquatint:  some  engraving. 

35  George  William  Beatty,  His  Book, 

Book  Pile.     Engraved  on  copper. 

36  Ex  libris,  Htnry  Whelan,  Jr. 

Pictorial.     Etched. 

37  State  Library,  Hartford,  Connecticut. 

Pictorial.     Etched:  some  engraving. 

[6] 


38  Yale  University  Library. 

Book  Pile.      Engraved  on  wood. 

39  Ex  libris,  C.  M.  W. 

Armorial.      Engraved  on  copper. 

40  Ex  libris,  Robert  M.  Chamberlain,  In  Memoriam. 

Book  Pile.      Engraved  on  copper. 

1902 

41  Ex  libris,  Louis  N.  Wilson. 

Pictorial.      Etched,  from  drawing  by  F.  B.  R.;  aquatint  and 
engraving. 

42  Ex  libris,  Frederick  Graham  Aylward. 

Book  Pile.      Engraved  on  wood.      lAn  alteration  of  No.  16). 

43  Ada  M.  Hopson,  Her  Book. 

Pictorial.      Literary.      Etched:  aquatint. 

44  Middlesex  County  Historical  Society,  Connecticut. 

Seal.      Engraved  on  wood. 

45  Frank  Addison  Corbin,  His  Book. 

Pictorial.      Literary.      Engraved   on   copper:    some   etching. 
4G      Ex  libris,  Melissa  A.  Carter. 
Pictorial.      Engraved  on  copper. 

47  Ex  libris,  Joseph  Gulrey  Woodward. 

Pictorial.      Historical.      Etched. 

48  Ex  libris,  Frederick  W.  Skiff  of  West  Haven. 

Literary.      Engraved  on  wood. 

49  Caroline  M.  Smith. 

Pictorial.      Musical.     Engraved  on  copper,    from  design  by 
Joline  B.  Smith. 

50  Ex  libris,  Anna  L.  Curtis. 

Pictorial.      Literary.      Engraved  on  copper:  some  etching. 

51  Alice  Morgan  Crocker,  Her  Book. 

Book  Pile       Engraved  on  copper. 

52  Gitt  oi  Charles  J.  Hoadley  and  George  E.  Hoadley. 

Pictorial.      Historical.     Etched  and  engraved  on  copper. 
f^3     Colin  M.  Ingersoll,  Jr. 
Architectural.      Etched. 

1903 

61      Arthur  W.  and  Emma  L.  T.  Cole. 

Pictorial.      Literary.      Etched,  with  engraving. 
66      Eli  Whitney,  His  Book. 

Pictorial,      i.iterary.      Engraved  on  copper. 

66  Ex  libris,  J.  Herbert  Johnston. 

Pictorial.     Engraved  on  copper,  reproducing  a  Bewick  fishing 
picture. 

67  George  Burton  Adams,  His  Book. 

Pictorial.      Historical.      Etched. 

68  Nathan  S.  Bronson,  His  Book. 

Book  Pile.      Engraved  on  copper. 

[■!] 


59  Manila  Meniurial,  Ohio  Alcove. 

Pictorial.  Patriotic.  KngravcJ  on  cupprr,  from  driign  by 
Mn.  MaiT  E.  Rath-Mrrrill. 

60  William  A.  Beardsley,  His  Book. 

Pictorial.      I.itrrary.      Engraved  on  copper. 

61  Byers  Memorial  Hall,  Sheffield  Scientific  School. 

Literary.      Etched:  tome  engraving. 

62  Norris  G.  Osborn,  His  Book. 

Pictorial.      Etched:  tome  engraving. 

1904 

63  Ex  libris,  William  Brewster.     Mount  Carmel. 

Pictorial.  Engraved  on  copper,  from  design  by  Joline  B. 
Smith. 

64  Ex  libris,  Stephen  Whitney. 

Pictorial.      Engraved  on  copper. 
66      Kenneth  Dodge  Wood,  His  Book. 
Pictorial.      Etched. 

66  Emma  Catherine  Renold,  Her  Book. 

Pictorial.      Engraved  on  copper. 

67  Ex  libris,  Sara  Everett  Hayden. 

Portrait.      Library  Interior.      Engraved  on  copper. 

68  Margaret  Mather  Merriman. 

Pictorial.      Literary.      Engraved  on  copper. 

69  Ex  libris,  William  C.  Atwater. 

Library  Interior.      Engraved  on  copper. 

70  Ex  libris,  Caroline  Rutz-Rees. 

Pictorial.      Etched. 

71  Edna  Holbrook  Barger. 

Pictorial,  reproducing  a  bust  by  Palmer.  Engraved  on 
copper. 

72  Ex  libris,  Herbert  and   Mary  Y.  S.   Heathfield. 

Pictorial,  reproducing  a  figure  from  Library  of  CongrcM 
mural  decoration*  by  J.  W.  Alexander.  Engraved  on 
copper. 

1905 
Mr.   Hopson  was  abroad  this  year.     He  engraved 
no  book-plates. 

1906 

73  Carnegy  Johnson. 

Urn.      Armorial.      Engraved  on  copper 

74  Helen  Parsons,  Her  Book. 

Pictortal.      Etched. 

75  Ex  libris,  Morgan  Bulkeley  Brainard. 

Pictorial.      Etched:  some  engraving. 

76  Lydia  Brewster  Hubbard. 

Pictorial.     Colonial  Interior.      Engraved  on  copper 


1907 

77  Brush    MineraloRical    Library,   Sheffield   Scientific 

School. 
Minrralosical.      Engraved  on  copper. 

78  Ex  libris,  Eben  Jackson. 

Literary.      Process  plate  (rom  Mr.  Hopson's  design. 

79  Christine  Wilson,  Her  Book. 

Pictorial.     Literary      Engraved  on  copper,  from  pen  drawiig 
by  Mrs    Albertiiie  Randall  Wbeelan. 

80  New  Haven  Public  Library,  Philo  Sherman   Ben- 

nett Book  Fund. 
Portrait.     Pictorial      Engraved  on  copper. 

81  Ex  libris,  Alice  V.  Payne. 

Library  Interior.      Engraved  on  copper. 

82  Ex  libris,  Frederick  Wallis  Davis,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Patriotic.     Pictonal.     EngraTed  on  copper. 

83  Wilhelmina  B.  Cole. 

Literary       Old  Chippendale  frame.      Engraved  on  copper. 

84  Ex  libris,  John  T.  Manson. 

Pictoral.      Etched. 
86      Ex  libris,  Louis  Henry  Bristol. 
Pictonal.      Engraved  on  copper. 

86  One  of  the  books  of  John  C.  and  Lucy   E.    Ives. 

Portraits.      Library  Interior.      Etched. 

1908 

87  Ex  libris.  Max  Mailhouse,  M.  D. 

Pictorial.      Engraved  on  copper:  some  etching. 

88  Ex  libris,  Maribel  Schumaker. 

Library  Interior.      Engraved  on  copper,  from  design  by  Mrs. 
Mary  E    Rath-MerriTl. 

89  Kx  libris,  Alverd  E.  Winchell,  M.  D. 

Pictorial.      Etched:  some  engraving. 

90  Frank    Anderson      and      Louise    Finney    Merrick, 

Their  Book. 
Pictorial       Interior  and  landscape.      Engraved  on  copper. 

91  Connecticut    State    Library.     Hartford.      The   col- 

lection of  Charles  T.  Wells. 

Portrait.      Engraved  on  copper. 

1909 

92  The  Watkinson  Library.    Hartford.    The  Collection 

of  Charles  T.  Wells. 

Portrait      Electrotype  of  Ho   »l    with  new  lettering  on  upper 
ribbon 

[II  1 


93  Curtis  Memorial  Library,  Town  of  Meriden,  Con- 

necticut. 

Pictorial.    Engraved  on  copper,  reproducing  view  of  city 
from  photograph. 

94  Edward  S.  Marsh,  His  Book. 

Pictorial.     Literary.     Engraved  on  copper. 

95  Elizabeth  Clarke  Hull  Chapter,  D.  A.  R.  Ansonia, 

Conn. 

Pictorial.     Naval.     Engraved  on  copper. 
P6     Kappa  Alpha  Theta.     May  Sexton  Agnew  Mem- 
orial Book  Fund. 
Literary.     Engraved  on  copper.      (University  of  Kansas). 

97  Ex  libris,  Jane  HoUister  Hale. 

Pictorial.     Engraved  on  copper  from  water  colour  design 
by  Mrs.  AJbertine  Randall  Wheelan. 

98  Ex  libris,  John  S.  Wood. 

Pictorisd.     Etched. 

99  White  Collection.  Established  by  bequest  of  Aaron 

White.    (Law  Library,  Hartford,  Conn.) 
Portrait.     Half-tone  with  some  graver  work. 

100  W.  F.  Hopson. 

Pictorial.     Engraved  on  copper. 

1910 

101  Wadsworth  Atheneum,  Hartford,  Conn. 

Pictorial.     Architectural. 

102  Ex  libris,  Marburg. 

Pictorial.  Library  interior. 


[12] 


AN  INITIAL  FINE  OF  25  CENTS 

WILU  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  SO  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $1.00  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
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